SELF-EDUCATION limbs trained to grace and agility, a hand, to dexterity and precision, an eye made to see and an ear to hear, a voice taught to interpret,—we know to-day that all these possibilities of joy in living should be open to every child, and we look forward even too hopefully to the manner of citizen who shall be the outcome of our educational zeal. … Continue reading Condensed Version Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 1
Book I CHAPTER I SELF-EDUCATION THE title of this chapter may awaken some undeserved sympathy; gratifying visions of rhythmic movements, independent action, self-expression in various interesting ways, occur to the mind—for surely these things constitute ‘self-education’? Most of these modern panacea are desirable and by no means to be neglected; limbs trained to grace and agility, a hand, to dexterity and precision, an eye made … Continue reading A Philosophy of Education Volume 6 Book 1 Chapter 1
Sometimes the same thing over and over again gets boring and, as Victorian England might put it, very dull. If your students are becoming bored with oral and written narrations, a slight variation on the typical narration might be needed to keep a Living atmosphere. It is needed, because repetition leads to predictability; predictability takes away creativity and ultimately curiosity. Curiosity is paramount to a … Continue reading Are Variations on the Standard Narration Allowed?
Here are my thoughts and reasons for some of the changes made to Charlotte’s Geographical Reader: Poetry.Charlotte had arranged her lessons so that a poem was, itself, a lesson. Typically, the poetry lessons would alternate with a textual lesson. Occasionally there were several poetry lessons in a row. When I followed these lessons with my children, reading one poem for a lesson was often far … Continue reading Poetry, Art, Plan and Map Changes
Here are my thoughts and reasons for some of the changes made to Charlotte’s Geographical Reader: Title Change to Living Geography.Charlotte titled her book Geographical Reader Book I Elementary Geography. This title, rightly so, gives the connotation that this book is for the younger student. Charlotte did intend her book for a younger audience, but that does not mean an older student wouldn’t gain anything … Continue reading Title and Text Changes
Possibly only a Charlotte Mason purist would be interested in the revision details for Charlotte’s 1881 geography text as I transformed it into the Living Geography Book I edition. In this post I let Charlotte convince you that scouring through the details of something has its rewards. In following posts, I’ll chronicle some of the nitty gritty details about the revisions to Charlotte’s 1881 geography … Continue reading For the Scouring Purists
Is Charlotte Mason’s geography book written in 1881 relevant for today?1881! It’s soooooo OLD! Outdated! Surely there is a better book by now!How could a book that old possibly have any value for our modern, fast paced, at-your-finger-tips world?The answer is, this old book is absolutely relevant for today! The most obvious, no-brainer answers are that our world still has the same physical features– oceans, … Continue reading Charlotte Mason’s 1881 Geography and Today’s Realtor
There are many reasons why narration might be bumpy in your home or classroom learning. Here are some suggestions from my personal experience and Charlotte to help you determine what, if anything, needs to be done. You might also look at other articles on this site for ideas and help – upcoming… Are Variations on the Standard Narration Allowed? and Written Narration Options – for … Continue reading When Narration Isn’t Working
Several weeks ago I returned the final proofs of all the components of Living Geography so printing could begin. I hadn’t heard anything for a while. Due to the myriad of components and details to keep track of I wondered if I had forgotten to send something. But it turns out there were busy beavers printing away. Out of the blue they called Monday and … Continue reading Do you Have a Loading Dock?
In a day and age of an abundance of educational teaching materials and classrooms specialized to the particulars of students, the educational community might need a simple breath of fresh air. I recently acquired a teachers manual for lower elementary literature studies. This five inch thick spiral bound behemoth could probably leave a dent if you threw it at your car. With curiosity, I opened … Continue reading Schools! Save Space and Money! Use Narration!
Real Living Life 